These 4th of July Desserts and Treats Are a Hit at Any Party!

Independence Day is typically a time we all have picnics, barbecues, and get-togethers. Read on for some fantastic 4th of July desserts and treats. These red, white, and blue dessert and treat ideas will be hits at your July 4th party!

Quick and Easy Flag Dessert

2 pints fresh strawberries

Frozen Pound Cake, 10 to 12 ounces
(thawed and sliced into 14 slices)

1 to 1-½ cups of fresh blueberries(save half-cup for dessert top)

Whipped topping, 8 ounce container, thawed (It's okay to use light or fat-free)

Slice one cup of the strawberries and set aside. Cut the remaining ones in half.

Next, place the cake slices flat in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch pan. Scatter the cup of sliced strawberries and cup of blueberries over the tops of the slices. Ice the dessert with the whipped topping, covering the cake slices and fruit evenly. Now, you are going to create the flag design on the top of the cake. Place the dessert horizontally on the counter top. Then, lay the blueberries out in rows in the upper left area of the dessert, as the stars on the American flag. Finally, lay out the halved strawberries, cut side down, in rows, like the red stripes on the American flag. Serves 15.

This recipe was discovered in the Bloomington-Normal, Illinois Pantagraph newspaper in the late 1990s.

Although this next dessert requires a little more time and work, it is going to be worth it. It is colorful, beautiful, and delicious! What a way to celebrate--try this 4th of July dessert/treat!

Strawberry Blueberry Cheesecake Trifle

2 pints fresh strawberries, all sliced except for 5 or 6 whole strawberries

1½ cups fresh blueberries, save 8-10 out to decorate trifle's top

1 cup sugar, divided in half

2 8-ounce packages of Neufchatel or cream cheese, softened

3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed juice from an orange or two

3 cups of whipping cream, whipped

Frozen Pound Cake, 10 to 12 ounces (thawed and cut up into bite-size cubes)

3 1-ounce squares of semisweet chocolate, shaved or grated

Before you get started, save back 5-6 whole strawberries and 8-10 blueberries to garnish the top of the trifle when you are done making it.

Mix strawberries carefully with ½ cup sugar and set aside. Next, beat Neufchatel or cream cheese with the orange juice and other ½ cup sugar until well-blended. Carefully fold this mixture in with the already-whipped cream and set to the side for now.

Pour the juice off the strawberries but save it. Now, pour the strawberry juices over the cake cubes and toss lightly.

To make this dish extra pretty, you need either a trifle dish (under $10 at your local discount store) or a large clear, glass, bowl-shaped dish. Put half of the cake cubes in the dish, scattering them over the bottom.

Spoon about a third of the whipped cream mixture over them spreading it up against the dish's sides, so you'll be able to see the pretty layers. Scatter half the strawberries over the whipped cream mixture and sprinkle about half the blueberries on next. Make sure you place some against the sides of the bowl, to have a nice presentation. Sprinkle with half the grated chocolate, saving just a little to garnish the top when you are finished.

Repeat the layers, beginning again with the rest of the cake cubes and following with the other ingredients. Finally, ice the top with the remaining whipped cream mixture.

Arrange the whole strawberries, a few blueberries, and the grated chocolate you saved back on the top. Voila! It's time to cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving. This dish serves about 15 people and is sure to earn you some "ooohs" and "aaaahs." The recipe has been altered from the original, which was found in a "Taste of Home" magazine from the late 90s.

Three cheers for the red, white, and blue! These 4th of July desserts/treats will surely satisfy! Happy July 4th!